Sixty men and women flew over a virtual city, either holding their arms out and controlling their movement like Superman, or as passengers in a virtual helicopter. Afterwards, back in the real world, the experimenter knocked over a cup of pens as if by accident, and waited five seconds so the subject had a chance to help with the mess. When people had spent the simulation as superheroes, they helped clean up more quickly and picked up more pens.

Coming to the virtual rescue was not necessary for the follow-up behavior. In the simulation, some subjects merely explored the city while others saved a lost child—but both groups performed basically the same on the pen test. So, feeling like a superhero may inspire the impulse to helpfully leap in. Just don't expect to leap any buildings in a single bound.